Racing on the Rocks

For gearheads, wintertime means more than just snowball fights, ice storms and Bill Cosby sweaters. It’s time for ice racing.

Allen Skillicorn is a fan of these cold-weather competitions for a simple reason: They deliver good, cheap racing. Plus, the thrill of sliding sideways is hard to capture at an autocross or track day.

Allen’s latest ice racer and rallycrosser is an E36-chassis BMW 325i. “I run it with Wisconsin Autosport Group, Fox Valley Sports Car Club, Central Wisconsin Sports Car Club and hopefully the Chicago Region SCCA’s new-for-2013 RallyCross program,” he explains.

Car prep is rather minimal. “It’s all stock with a very worn-out suspension. Soon I will be replacing the ball joints, bushings and dampers,” he adds. “Tires are either General Altimax snow tires or handbuilt studded ice tires.”

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It is incredibly fun! Like any hoonning there are risks, like leaving plastic bits (fender liners, splash guards and the like) in the snow banks around the edges, a suspension POUNDING (but not always), oil starvation, snow/ice incrustations on the rims that can rattle your teeth on the way home after. That said, one of the cheapest and most fun ways there is to learn car control.

The ice is fun! I'd never get through winter without it.